First move for federation of world sport

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33446, 30 January 1974, Page 36

First move for federation of world sport

The first move to establish a world federation of sport was made at a meeting in Christchurch yesterday. “The move is designed to obtain good will among the individual national federations, and I am sure it will be successful.” said the interim chairman. Mr I). Howell, the former Minister of Sport in Britain.

“I was very impressed with the quality of representatives at the meeting,” said Mr Howell, who is a Labour member of Parliament and is chairman of the Central Council of Physical Recreation in England.

Thirteen delegates, representing six countries, discussed the need for international co-operation between federations of voluntary governing bodies of sport. A steering committee, representing all the founding countries, was appointed, and it will meet in London in July to make arrangements! for an inaugural conference} in Canada after the 1976 Olympic Games. It is hoped: to set up a world council of national sports federations at the conference. CANADIAN SECRETARY Mr W. L. McEwan, of Canada, was appointed secretary. The committee members include Mr J. Buckingham, the president of the New Zealand federation, Mr O. State, a member of the General Assembly of International Sports Federations, Mr S. B. Grange, the vice-president of the Australian Olympic Federation, Mr W. Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the Welsh British Commonwealth Games committee, and Mr :

A. Paulen, a member of the I Netherlands Sports Federation. “We want to set up an I organisation to be indepen- ' dent from Government and 'Government agencies, and i exchanged the tremendous I fund of information and exIpertise which exists in difIferent countries.” INDEPENDENT VOICE I The group wanted to over'come the problem of getting i sport heard independently, land to protect the integrity lof governing sports bodies, IMr Howell said. ! Governments were giving ! money and assistance to the ■governing sports bodies, and •then the Governments were making decisions not entirely theirs. | Mr Buckingham said that the conference in Canada [should be fully representative, so that the meeting could have a critical analysis of the individual policies. “New Zealand established the principle of giving voice to all groups—and we do not want to interfere with the domestic affairs of each body.” FIRST MOVE The first move by the steering committee will be to find the number of federations in the world and their interest. “By organising a world federation, this may be the inspiration for other national bodies to emerge and become independent of Government,” Mr Howell said.